THE OMAHA ; DAILY BEE. ESTABLISHED JUNE 19 , 1871. OMAHA , TUESDAY MORNING , M-ApCH 29 , 1898-TWELVE PAGES. SINGLE COPY FIVE CENTS. CUBAN COASTS AND PORTS Kotablo Features Along the Shora Line of the Big Island. WEAKNESS OF HARBOR FORTIFICATIONS Danircrit of TinvltcnUon Ainona the ami Href * tlint ( lie Span. lord * llnvc Siot MnNtcred of Accei * . It tha Spanish fleet that hits assembled In Havana bay Is called upon to tight la the defense of the chief port of Cuba , relates the Detroit Frco Press , thcro Is no likeli hood that the Spaniards will repeat the stupid blunder they made In 1805 , when 'England floated her flag over the capital. That was a llttlo before Trafalgar decided the fortunes of the war between England and Spain ; and when the Spaniards heard ; ' that a Drltlsh fleet was on the way to at tack Havana , they prepared to defend the city In a very remarkable manner. Thrco war ships were In Havana bay , but they were not destined to participate In the tight ki the way war ships arc usually ex pected to do. Before the British fleet ap peared In the ofllng the Ingenious Spaniards had knocked holes In the bottoms of thcli 'chips and sunk them In the narrow channel ° ; leading Into the harbor. They accomplished ' one thins at least. The hostile * fleet could not enter the harbor until the obstruction ! in the channel bad been removed ; and II would be a rather trying undertaking to at tempt to clear the channel under fire from the guns of La Cabanas and Morro Castle So the Spaniards thought they had put thcli ' , war ships to the best possible use. : Iut the Drltlsh did not carry out tbo parl \ . of the program the Spaniards had arranged for them. Instead , they landed on the sea side north of the harbor entrance , scaled th < heights to the rear of La Cabanas , capturoc the fort without difficulty , then tunnclec from the fort to Morro Castle , planted i mine , blew a port of the castle lute smlther centi and Havana was theirs. The _ history of Havana for the year tha' ' lit was England's possession Illustrates li a remarkable way what an Impetus Is glvci to commerce by a government that maintain : good order and fosters trade. In that tlmi over 1,000 ships visited the harbor that hat hitherto been deaertcd , anil agriculture ani trade advanced by mighty strides. The ex erlcnco , proved how prosperous Cuba mlgh ecomo under the his'sj.ne jri good govern cnt. WEAK FORTIFICATIONS. Some of the noble harbors of Cuba or .lorably well fortified as far a stone wall go , but they liavo peculiarities that will b berne In mind It wo 1'ave occasion to knocl , them to pieces. Ono Is that they almas ' .invariably occupy Jilgh elevations and thcl Walls arc usually very high , and thes 'features , according to war experts , are source of weakness rather than of otrengt- ' if they have to face bombardment from th : guns that modern war ships carry. An 'other ' .Important fact Is that not even th ithreo moit strongly fortified ports , Havana Santiago do Cuba and Guantanamo , have 1 thctn armament guns of modern caliber , wll the exception of the four guns which Wcyle place * ! at Punta castle , across the chanm from ftlorro , at the entrance of Havana nor bor. With the possible exception of thcs four guns every cannon on the walls-of over Cuban coast fort may be dismounted an the walls knocked pieces by hostile WP ships while they ere etlll out of range c Any cannon trained by a Spanish gunnei ' Th.'s being the case It teems hardly prot &blo that Spain will expend much money I v placing artificial obstructions at the er jVtrancos to many of the numerous ports , ej \iept Havana and Santiago do Cuba. Wht would bo the use , when many of the bci ports may bo reduced to rubbish hcapo b modern war ships standlug out at sea ? Besides , many of the Cuban ports rcquti no sunken banters to prevent the cntrauc of hcwttlo vcssls , as far at lea.it as wii ihlpa nro concerned. The ports then ; solves are shallow and so arc the entranc < ! and our cruisers and battleships could IK enter them under present conditions. AN ATTRACTIVE POINT. Ono part of which wo heard a great dc a long as Cuba had any commerce worl mentioning should be very attractive to i If wo have occasion to look for an cxcelle : harbor that can bo occupied without mu < trouble or expense. This Is Cardenas , son way CM * of Matauzas. The city lies on paclous bay and the special advantage of tl -port , In the 6vcnt a ! war , la that no fortlflc tlons have been erected to protect the cl from invasion from tlio sea. The Spanlan have erected BO mo rudu defenses on the lai Ide to keep the patriotic Cubans out of tl town , but not a stone wait cor an antlquati gun' faces toe MCH front to give some show possible resbUnce to An cticmy opproachli In ships. The failure to provide Cardeni with ena defenses Is unaccountable , for It the last excellent harbor and town of lari Importance on the north coast toward tl cast. Beyond Cardenas nearly all the 1 < duatry and llfo of Cuba's seaboard la shltti from the northern to the southern coast. : time * of peace Cardenas docn a thriving trad particularly In the export of sugar and m lasses. The country west and southwest It la the most fertile la Cuba and here we most of tro larger sugar mills and reflnerl cow In ruins. It was at Cardenas that Lopez landed wl 111 * party of filibusters In 1S51 , when the Id of annexing Cuba and Its halt million slav to this country was encouraged by the ela party of the south. Lopez expected to ral the Cubans and slaves to bis standard , but ! iwaa unable to hold out more than two da ( n Cardenas and tie hud fifty of his followc iwero put to the aword. THE ISLAND KASY OF ACCESS. Even before wo acquired possession of Ingle Cuban harbor It would not be dlt tult for ua to land on the island moro gu and cartridges for the Insurgents than th could carry to tha field , and ono of the fir things to do would bo to put Gomez ai Garcia In a position to gtvo ua meat e fectlvo co-operation on land. Spain's < fort * to "control Cuba's coast line and pi vent the introduction Into tbo Island of an thing she c.hoso to exclude began many yea before the preac-nt war and have alwa been ridiculously futile. The filibuster ! ! that has supplied Gomez , Garcia and Mac iwlth supplies of munitions has been a me bagatelle compared with the colossal smu Kline that went on every month for ma years after the official abolition of t lave trade In 1S20. Spain had agreed wt the other rowers to put an end to sla Mealing and clave trading , but In spite the penalties decreed for these crimes frc thirty to elxty hlp loads of' negroes we smuggled into Cuba every year. T Spanish officials made a great show ot vl < lance , but could not or did not prevent t landing of about 500,000 slaves In Cuba aft all the civilized countries of the world h Interdicted the. trade. This Is ono of t great Mandate that diversify Spanish h tory ; and thene hundreds of thousands laves were introduced just as guns a dynamite have been placed within t reach of Garcia. Cuba is lees than i mile * in length , but there is no coart the world that Is more difficult to trace Its outline , because It is GO Indented wl Intricate receraem and o fringed with coi reefs and marshy tracts. The great numl ot little IsUnda among which the flllbutU liavo threaded their way to the coast , wh the Spanish gunboats saw nothing , have total of about one-twentieth of Cuba UPC Filibustering baa been a great success t cause the outlawed boats have cxr.erlc.nc pilot * , who can make their way through t labyrinth of Islets and reef * . The Spin ! bav less knowledge ot these shallow wate It will be to our decided advantage. In ca of war. that with the aid of Cubans we w Star * far greater knowledge than the Sp.i iarta % av acquired ot the intricate wnti ' tt Uat rwurkabU ooa t lint , wbet * ec tour , with all Its Indentations , on Plchardo'a largo map , actually exceeds C.SOO miles. It Is a curious fact that In all these centuries of occupancy of Cuba no Spaniard ever circumnavigated the Island till 1801. CUBA'S FINE HARBORS. Magnificent as Havana's harbor la , one of the finest In the world , It Is still surpassed as a natural port by that of Clenfuegos , and Is not much superior to the harbor of San tiago de Cuba. Two causes have enabled Havana to far outotrlp her rivals on the south coast. The first Is that , among all the Islets and reefs that veil the coasts of Cuba , the most accessible stretch of coant la that from Matanzaa to Bahla Hcyida , with Havana almost midway between them ; hence the Spaniards very tardily discovered that Havana was most conveniently situated to ba the seat of government and the business center of the Island. To be sure the big bays on the Poutheast coast are as easily accessible from the sea , but their natural communications with the Interior are far Inferior. The second reason Is that Havana Is meat favorably situated for commerce with this country , which consumes more of Cuba's products than all other nations to gether. Ono of the causes of the present war was summed up In the memorial sent by the sugar planters to Madrid , declaring that Grain's policy would lead to a tariff war with the United. States , and that would nocn the ruin of the Island. If Havana had ample modern defenses none _ f the great harbors of the world could bo moro easily defended. As It Is , the Span- jrds might without difficulty so block the arrow channel leading Into the bay that no hip could enter It for weeks after en enemy iad planted Its guns on the heights that ommand the city. Matanzas , the second city tn the Island , stands at the head of a deep- nlet which has become so shallowed by the icdlmento from the five or six rivers empty , ng Into It that vessels of largo draught lave to ride at anchor some distance away , ts harbor Is defended by cue very largo ort. with a more elevated slto and loftier , -alls than those ot any other Cuban strong- .old. It Is n largo relic of antiquated fash- ons In military architecture , and the few lew guns that Weylcr planted on Its walln , , whllo ago , are not up to the standard , f modern requirements. The vast basin of ho clly of Nuevltas Is no less thnn sixty iquaro miles In extent , and Us narrow , wlnd- ng channel to the sea would give an In- ader more trouble than Its flimsy fortlflca- lona. OTHER HARBORS. On th'e southeast coast the very largo .arbor of Guantanamo has fortifications that .vould make a better show of defending the ort th-in anything outsldo of Havana and Santiago de Cuba , though there Is not much hero to defend , for alluvium from the cntcr- .ng streams has choked the bay till It Is al most useless for trading purposes. A little west Is Santiago , the third port of Cuba , with a magnificent harbor and fortifications : hat are probably as strong as those ol [ lavana. If It Is attacked the blow will probably como from the sea , for the city la not yet connected with the general railroad ystem of the Island and approach by land over the sleep cliffs of the Sierra Mcstra would bo difficult for a largo force. On the way westward along the coast tc Clenfuegos ts the mouth of the Cauto river now held by the Spanish general , Pando hough the Cuban Rarcla'e camp Is only c 'cw miles up the river , and ho controls the whole river except Its mouth. If we hel [ Cuba this year , a prominent feature of oui program Is likely to be to send Pandc skedaddling , for the river , In a strategical cense , la the only very Important stream It Cuba , affording , cs It does , a navigable high way sixty rnllrt Into the interior. The harbor of Clenfuegos la regarded a the best though not the larg-sst In Cuba and considering the commercial Importance of the city , It would be astonishing that Its defense had been so sorely neglected If ll wore any oth'er nation than Spain that hac had In Its hands the making or the marrlnt of Cuba. It Is needles now to apeak of the numer ous other ports and natural harbors of Cuba today of llttlo Importance , because the tyran ? ndRuinous sway of .Spain so stifle * * i tno industrial and commercial life of a rlcl anil fertile Island that even In Its best dayi not moro than a tenth of Its aroi has cvei been brought under cultivation. SETTLING POOR FAUU JUDGMENTS County Getting Rcnily to Turn Ovei Cn h to Cr.MlUom. The county commissioners are octlvelj engaged In making preparations to pay ou the proceeds of the poor farm funding bond ! In liquidation of the claims against thi county arising from the sale of the Dougla < addition lots. The claims will bo Included li an appropriation sheet that will bo pre eented at the meeting next Wednesday am as soon thereafter as the warrants can bi drawn the money will bo paid. The claims against the county growlni out of the poor farm transaction are as fol lows : Unpaid Judgments , J8J.147.72 ; Inter cat , $23,840.98 ; claims filed but not In Judg ment. $87,151.C3 ; Interest. 14,945.02 ; out standing warrants , $9,760.35 ; claims untiled $7.000 ; making the total liabilities $21G , S3o.C2. To meet these obligations the count' ' ihas $190,219.50 , the proceeds of the boni rale ; $978 In the poor farm judgment fund and $ oOO , the proceeds of the $500 checl that was forfeited by Farson Leach & Co th9 Chicago parties who originally bough the bonda and then backed out. While the county commissioners reallz that they have not enough cash on hand t take up all the claims , they are not In th least worried over the situation. Chairman Klerstcad , In discussing th condition of the poor farm fund , said : "A this tlmo wo lack a few thousand dollars o having enough money to liquidate- of th claims , Wednesday wo will begin payln out cash on these claims and will contlnu to do so until the last dollar Is paid. Taxe will como la at a lively rate next month an by the flrst or the middle of May , wo wil have sufficient funds to pay all of thes claims. Of course all of the claims will no como 4n n bunch and by the time the proceed of the bond sale have been exhausted w expect to have enough of the collection fror the poor farm Jcvy to take care of everj thing that la outstanding against thi account. " IXSAXK 3IA.IIAMiS 1IIMSELI George AntlerHnn Commit * Snleldo n the County IIuHpltnl. George Anderson , a Dane about 05 year old. committed sulcldo at the county hos pltal Sunday night. Ho has been demcntc for some time , over the death of his wife and has run away from the hospital an caused considerable trouble. Last Januar ho ran away and was found unconscious o his wife's grave. Ho accomplished hi death by tying a eheot about his neck an hanging himself from the transom. He wa found dead about C o'clock yesterday , an his body -was Immediately brought to th coroner's office. Coroner Swanson Is ex pected homo from Chicago tomorrow , t which tlmo the Inquest will be held. Andei son Is not known to have any relatives , an the only" person who knows anything aboi him is Paul Kelson of Calhoun. WII ouH < ! oe to Springfield. James WIIsont arrested by Deputies Lew und McDonald of the sheriff's office , hi been taken back Ito Springfield , III.whe : howilt ba rcqulroJ to nnswer to tha chan of embezzlement. When ni rested the prl oner stated that he hail embezzled fro $3.000 to $10.000 from a wholesale commlEelc firm by which he was employed. The oil cer i who came after Wlleon said that tl man had embezzled some monty , but th an examination of the tlrm's books lndlcat < that It 'wua -much smaller sum than statl by the prisoner. Cripple l ! r tv Kulfc. Louis Sanpe , a cripple with a wooden li nnd a crutch , 1 a prisoner at the city ja and In police court ho ds charged with a nauUlne Louis Kohn and cutting- him -wli a knife. The complalnlntf wltness Is the pr prietor of a lodging- house where fiaup ? alleged to have madn trouble. Kohn a tempted to eject him from the place , wher ! Ueced , h us d hlj kulie. IMPEACHES POLICE BOARD Charges Filed with trie Executive at Lincoln Yesterdaji CORRUPT COMBINATION AND ITS RESULTS Itulc of n Year Under the DomlnntloB of Hcrdmnn nnd the Demoral ization of the Police Force. . Articles Impeaching the members of the Omaha Board of Fire nnd Police CommLs- stoncra were flled with Governor Holcomb yesterday morning. The governor took the papers nnd said he would examine them , promising to gtvo a reply Indicating his action In a few days. Following Is the text of the articles of Impeachment , with tno charges and specifications , and a synorels of the testimony : Hon. Silas A. Holcomb , Governor ot Ne braska : The undersigned , a citizen of Omaha , Nebraska , respectfully represents that Robert E. Lee Herdman , James H. Peabody - body and D. D. Gregory of Omaha , Neb. , have been acting as members of the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners of said city since March , 1897 , having been nt that tlmo appointed and qualified as such members by virtue of the provisions of the act of 1897 , provldlnc for Incorporating metropolitan cities and defining , prescribing and regulat ing their duties , powers and government. That shortly after their appointment they entered Into an agreement between them selves that whenever expedient or ncessary they would unite to constitute a majority ol the board and control It and exercise Ite powers and influence lor political ends , re gardless of the effect or Influence of such action upon the welfare of the departments under their control and of the city. That from thence until the present time the program thus agreed upon has been strictly adhered to and executed by these members to the demoralization of the police department , so that the laws and city ordi nances of the city against vice and crime have not been uniformly enforced nor have the citizens of Omaha received adequate protection from the acts and depredations ol the criminal classes. That tn executing the agreement and plar foresald the members have dlregarded : Their official oaths. Grossly neglected their official duties , anc Flagrantly violated many of the most 1m- lortant and necessary provisions of law. BILL OF PARTICULARS. That of the many misdemeanors In offici f which the said members have been guilty he following are particularized : Specification 1. That on orabout the flftl duy of July , 1S97 , they appointed ono Jamei C. Dahlman , chairman of the democrat ! ' itato committee , and a resident ot Chad on , Neb. , to bo chief of police ot Omaha lontmry to section1C9 of said act , whlcl provides that all appointees to the polio ilepartment shall bo electors of the city o Omaha. Specification 2. That on the 30th day o August , 1897 , they appointed ono A. T Slgwart , to the police force of Omaha , will nil knowledge of the Incompetency of th appointee , In pursuance of an unlawful am corrupt agreement. Specification 3. They a IPO , on the 30tl day of August , 1S97 , appointed A. T. Slg wart to bo a special officer , with the pa ; of captain , towlt : One hundred dollars pc month , in violation ot section 60 of sail act , which provides that no officer of th police department under the rank ot chle or assistant chief shall receive a sum ex ceedlng $90 per month. Specification 4. That they have li violation ot the law and of the rules o the department pennltted A , T. Stgwart t draw from the city treasury ot Omaha th sum of $100 for alleged services for th month of September , 1897 , before said Slg wart was duly qualified to act as pollc officer , by the filing of the required bond. Specification G. That In violation of thcl official oath ? , not to be guided or actuate by political motives or Influences , and faith fully , impartially and honestly to dlscharg their duties , they permitted A. T. Slgwarl Chief of police , on or about April 20 , 1891 unlawfully to detail Detective John I ! Savage to report at a saloon to one Charle Fanning , campaign manager of the dcmc cratlocandidate , for mayor , and to execul hts orders as such manager , and have sine retained both of mid officers on the pollc force without discipline ot any1 kind for sal unlawful act. - Specification 6. That they permitted T. Slgwart , chief of pollco , on or about Apr ! 18 , 1897 , unlawfully to detail Patrolma Samuel G. Ho ft to report at a place ot prl vuto business to ono E. E. Ho well , demc cratlo candidate for mayor , and to execut his orders , and have slnco retained both c said offlcors on the pollco force without disc ! pllno ot any kind for eald unlawful act. Specification 7. That on November 2 ! 1897 , without any notice and : without encase case being on trial before them , and fu the purpose of forcing saloon keepers to pa tribute to their political organ , they passe a ( resolution Instructing liquor dealers the they would bo required to advertise thel notlcea ot liquor license applications In sal political organ In order to procure froi them licenses to sell liquor for the ensutn year. PERiMIT GAUrBLING. Specification 8. That for the purpose < procuring support and contributions to the ! political combine they have permitted tr. violation ot the laws of the state again : the setting up or keeping or maintaining < gambling devices and the keeping of gan bling xesorts. | Specification 9. That for the purpose < procuring support and contributions to the political combine they have permitted violation ot tbo lawa of the state and U ordinances ot the city 'relating to the kee ] Ing and maintaining of disorderly resorts. Specification 10 , That for the purpose i procuring support and contributions to the political combine they have granted ltcens < to liquor dealers who have violated the la\ and were thus debarred under the law fro receiving mich licenses. Specification 11. That for the same pui pose they have granted druggists' permt to druggists who have violated the law ar are thus debarred under the law from r celvlng such permits. Specification 12. That for the same pu pose they have permitted liquor dealers eell Intoxicating liquor without licence , violation ot the law. Specification 13. That for the same pu pose they have permitted druggists to sc Intoxicating liquors without permits , In'v olatlon of the law. Specification 14. ThaT for the same pu pcse they have failed to. revoke the llcep ot liquor dealers when the licensee has be < ccavlctod tn the police court for sellli liquors to minors In violation of the la and subjected himself to'revocation of sa license. Specification 16. That for the same pu pose they have failed.to. revoke the llcens of liquor dealers In connection with who places ot buslneoa gambling resorts ha' ' been openly carried on. JUGGLES THE RECORDS. Specification 16.Agalrst James H. Pe body : That eald James H. Peabody , , on < about the 9th day ot September , 1897 , caus to be made by the clerk of nld board false and misleading statement , purportli to be a true copy of the board's offlcl record , and caused the came , to be publish' ' In the board's political organ as a true ti certified copy of said records , for the pu nose ot creating political capital , and the demoralization and detriment ot the p lice department. Specification 17. ARalcet Robert E. L Herd man : That eald Robert E. Lee Her man has unlawfully , and In violation ot t : rules of ald board , Ussued orders direct to Ui member * ot tbo police departmei without the authority or1 approval of said board. The undersigned respectfully requests that a tlmo and place be abpeWited when the gov ernor shall hear , at. Ooi4ha , testimony aa to the truth or faulty jot those charges , supported by the accompanying affidavit ! , and that he will , lft sld charges are sus tained by the evidence , at' once remove the said Robert E , Lee Herdman , James H. Peabody and D. D. Gregory , from the office of police commUslontr w the city ot Omaha , as required by sectlodi 1(8 ot the act au thorizing their appointment and removal. Subscribed and sworn to by VICTOR ROSEWATER. BACKED BY AFFIDAVITS. Accompanying the charges are sixteen ex hibits in support of the different specifica tions. The flrst Is an affidavit relating to the appointment and declination of Jim Dahl man to be chief of police. The scccud Is an affidavit setting forth various steps by which Chief Slgwart was forced to resign from his place at the head of the police department , only to be reap- polnted as eoeclal officer with pay of cap tain In accordance with a secret agreement. Exhibit three Is a certified transcript ot the testimony of Detective Savage and Pa trolman Hoff. given la the Cox case , In which they detail the political work they did for the democratic candidate for mayor at the last city election. , Ono affidavit sets out the. Illegal resolu- icii by which saloon keepers were forced to ay tribute to the combine by inserting heir liquor license notices fn the World- lerald. and the Injunction Issued to prevent ho consummation of this lawless purpose. Two affidavits relate to open gambling and Another to the connlvancc'of the pollco with he automatic gambling machines. Two moro iffidavlts relate to the failure of the pollco o close the wine rooms , while another sets mt the rcpcrti ot th'o police authorities hcmeelvos upon the cxlstenio of disorderly OUfiCS. Exhibit eleven ts an affidavit relating to ho llquar lU-entcs granted , over protests of ho police cVscrlblng tbe placea so licensed as ! awless resorts. Exhibit thirteen Is on affidavit setting orth the course of the combine In granting Iccnses to druggists and ealoon keepers In Isregard of protests and testimony showing hem to have violated the law. Another ffldavlt sets out the caeca In which the board .as refused or tailed to rcvpke liquor licenses pea showing of U\v violation. Exhibit fifteen sets out the action of Com missioner Peabody In procuring the publlca- Ion of falsified copies of tbo board's records , .vhllo . exhibit sixteen relates to the arbitrary .nd unauthorized orders of Commissioner lerdman to subordinates the police do- artment. The final exhibit Is an affidavit giving the ormldablo list of the reported holdups , lurglarlcs and robberies elnco February 1 , 898. ' K OXC I.UGAI. POINT TO UK ARGUED. . tit tlu Modern * Woodmen .A Kit I ii Kt the Union Nntionill. Although the case of thp Modern Woodmer f America against the Union National banli f this city will not comfc up for trial al ; ( ie presemt special termidt ; the federal court an Important legal question In the case -wll robably bo argued before Judge Mungei before the term closes. \ > In answer to the complaint of the necrcl ; rder the bank set up that the alleged cer : lflcate of deposit , held os''proof of Indebted r.csa , was not a legal certificate and that tin money sued for was never deposited In th < bank. In reply to this the-order set up thai Head Clerk Zlnk , durlflgvwhoso terra thi deposit IB alleged to have , ueen made la thi bank , had given a bond irr IIBO.OQO , ' that 1 It had been known that the money tiad'uo been In the bank the bondsmen might havi been sued for the amount , that as a mattei r fact the bank did not repudiate the al eged certificate nt the end of ZInk's term but simply postponed Its payment , Imply Ing , therefore , that It had the money , tha when the bank did repudiate the certlflcati later tbo bondsmen had become Insolven and could not ba held for tbe amount. The order therefore contends that In Vie ? of the fact that the bank did not at cnci refuse to honor the certificate It cannot nov set up the defense that the certificate wai worthless and represented no money tha bad been deposited. This Is the questloi that Is to bo argued. It came up In thi trial ot tbe case , but tbe action was dls mlsced before It was decided. DISMISSES THE Al'PCAb CASES Judge SlnhnnKh Clcnm 1I1 Docket o n Lot of Minor Charge * . Cases In whlcti the city prosecutes vlo lators of provisions of the municipal ordl nances had the call before Judge Slabaugl In the criminal court. The flrst one oallei was that wherein1 Frank Tyson , a colorei man , was accused of beating his wife. Th city was represented by Prosecutor Millet while the defendant conducted his own case Although bo Is not a lawyer , he convince' ' the Jury ot his Innocence and ( ho twelv ' men returned a verdict of 'not guilty. Other cases as follow * were called an dismissed and the defendants ordered dls charged : Thomas Combs and Albert Bankt resisting an officer : Charlca M. Sanford , as Eault ; Lewis Bradshaw , assault and battery Frank Broglln , disturbing the peace ; Wtl Phillips , resisting an officer ; Eugene Jacksor assault ; Paul Newman , 'Operating stear boiler without a license ; James J. Walkei obtaining money by false/ pretenses ; Patrlc Ford , disturbing the peace ; Vina Callahai fighting ; John Harrison , pellt larceny ; Harr Hodges , disturbing the peace ; S. D. Mercei keeping a vicious dog ; ! Archibald Gordoi trespass ; John Fitznatrlck , drunk ; Charle McVey , petit larceny ; John Pylo , operattn a steam bolter without 'a license. Cox Aurnlnnt Motor Company. The case of W. W. Cox * against the Omah and Council Bluffs Bridge and Street Rail way company Is on trial , .before Judge DIcV Inson and a jury. The plaintiff seeks t recover damages In the , fum ot $20,000. Last summer Cox wasa , < pacscnger on on ot the motor trains and was on his way- 1 Council Bluffs. WbeaMiear the postoffice I that town he , according to his versloi signaled the conductor tpi.&top the train. Tr conductor paid no attention to this elgm and Cox pulled the bell cord. This was violation ot the company's .rules and Co was ejected from tbo car. J A fight followci during which ono of Cox'4 abklee was brokei He alleges that his Injucje * were due to tr negligence of the men In charge of the car. IIcrrelHnKer S Kf .Jlnmnnre * . The case ot Harry S.JHettelflnger again : the Richardson Drug compiny Is en trial 1 Judge Baker's court , the plaintiff seeking I recover the eum of $10,000,1 alleged damage Heffelfinger alleges thai In April , 1896 , he wi charged by the defendant' ' with obtalnlc goods by making false representations at : that on the charges so made he was a rested and thrown Into Jail , where ho wi kept for several hour * . . He.eays . that at tl hearing be was acqutttcdj Uy reason i this arrest , ho alleges th t his reputatlc has been damaged to the extent ot $10,00 the amount for which suit Is brought. Kittle Owe Convicted. Kittle Owens , charged' ' with being an li mate ot a house of Ill-repute , has been co vlcted by a Jury in the criminal court. 81 conducted her own case'1 and put up a d tense that astonished eomo of tbe old pra tttloners at the bir , Two Divorce * Granted. Judge Scott has gran ted divorces In tl case of Williams against 'NVIllldms and Cl ment against Clement. , Desertion and fal ure to provide were the charges proven. Ileebea Plpd Not Guilty. Dr. Charles E , Beebe an * his wife , Mn A. Beebewere arraigned tn pollco coi yesterday on a charge ot trespass , which they pleaded hot guilty. Mrs. lice also entered a tlmltar plea to an accusatl of nwault. The Jiearlntrwas set for ne Saturday afternoon and Judge Gordon i leased tbe defendants on their owa recogi anc * . QUEEN'S ' LACE HANDKERCHIEF One of the Bare Relics of the Late Iran oh Empire. MOUCHOIR MADE FOR EMPRESS EUGENIE Woman' * Ilonrcl "Mar' Secure a llc- ninrknlilc I'lcco of llnndlirorU for Show nt the exposition \ During the Summer. The Woman's Board of Managers hag re ceived a proposition from Miss Helen D. Williams of Nashville , Tenn. . to place on exhibition at the exposition a lace handker chief valued at $1,500 , and the women are considering the advisability of securing the precious article , The handkerchief has quite a history. It was made In Ncufchatcl , Switzerland , about 1850 , by two poverty-stricken women whoso eyesight was destroyed by the severe strain of the work. It was Intended as a gift to Empress Eugenie , but after Its completion it passed into other hands than those of the empress , and was exhibited at the Paris ex position of 1S50 , and at the London exposi tion of 1SC2. Jt finally came Into the family of Mies Williams , and was shown at lift World's fair and at the Nashville exposi tion. tion.Tho The handkerchief Is eighteen Inchca square and the lace work Is said to bo of remarkable - able fineness and delicacy. In each ot the four corners Is a small hourc. This le bul one-quarter of an Inch square , but the vines running over the cottage are shown with xactncss and the shrubbery about the house s worked out In all the details. Wild an- mals In the woods surrounding these ouscs are perfect tn every detail , the hall n the boars and the spots on the leopard * elng shown with distinctness. A troplca' ' orriU extends entirely around the handkcr ihlef , and numerous wild animals are showr unulng about between the trees. Danana nd cocoa trees are shown tn full bearing t Is caltl that the pattern for this wonder- ul handkerchief was made In Italy and thi attern was destroyed after this handkcr ihlef was completed , In order to prevent ( The Woman's Hoard of Managers ts con dcrlng the matter of securing an old matiu- crlpt bible an an exhibit tn the educations cctlon. The precious document belonga t < he estate of the late Dr. Louis Loewc , mem er of the Royal Asiatic association , Orients ngulst fee the duke of Sussex , examiner ol rlcntal languages to the Royal College ol 'receptors ' , etc. The date of the anclenl lanuscrlpts composing the book Is unknown xcept In ono Instance , where It Is relatci hat the writer of the text finished hln labor ! n 1496 , but the absence ot lllumlnatei nltlal letters leads scholars to conclude tha ho manuscript Is very old. The book It iound In tortobo shell covers with sllvc ; laeps and ornamentation. H contains 491 eavca and Is of the following dimensions 'oven ' and three-quarters Inches long , flvt nd one-bait Inches wide and two and one f Inches thick. The arrangement of thi looks Is different from that adopted for thi nodern editions of the bible. LllKAXSAS ETTI.\G AI.O.YG MCEI/V coretnry Mntlipwn Writ en Kiilliu-lnn ( lonlly of the Prn-pcctM. Secretary W. D. Mathcws of the Arkansai Exposition commission writes most cnthusl .stlcally regarding the progress In export ton work that Is being made In his state Ho sa > a the commission la meeting wltl , ho meat encouraging responses In all quar era to Its efforts to arouse the people ant iccure funds and macrlals for exhibits am ho state will bo on tlmo with an extenslv ! xhlblt In all lines. Secretary Mathews and George Sengel r Fort Smith visited St. Louis recently an nterestcd the officials ot the Mlrsourl Pa Iflc and the St. Louis & San Francloco rail raay In the Arkansas exhibit , Inducing thos oads to JO'Q with the etate commtslson li makig ! a fliw showing. The railway offi : lals agreed to this plan and gave the com mleslon substantial assistance In the way o unds. thus assuring a flno exhibit by th itate. . Mr. Dodge writes that he will have charg of the display made by the Agricultural dc partment , which ho says will bo ono of th finest displays ever made by that branch c .ho government. The plan of selling souvenir buttons t assist In raising funds has been adopted , an n a letter to 'President Wattles the set 'etary ' Incloses one of the buttons. It I about two Inches In diameter and the mo ; itrlklng thing about It Is the lettering. A .ho top appears the word "Arkansas" an at the lower side appears "Omaha. " In th center Is a picture of the former residents e Albert Pike In Little Rock which has bee adopted as the design for the Arkansn building on the exposition grounds. Th lecretary says these buttons are sclllu apldly all over the state. AHI7.0XA MAKES A GOOD STAR1 Exhibit for the Exposition ! Alrcnd Well ITovliloil. Special Commissioner C. E. Llewellyn < .ho Publicity and Promotion department < the exposition returned Sunday from Ne Mexico and Arlzoaa , where he went to aroti : hose sections from the apathy which seerac to have overtaken them. Ho met wit encouraging success In both territories ar says that both ot these sections will It handsomely represented at the exposlttoi The governor ot Arizona appointed a stroc commission of representative men nnd hi agreed to ask the legislature to relmbun subscribers to a fuad for making a Bta exhibit. In this way It Is believed that r difficulty will be encountered In raising a the money that Is needed. The magnified exhibit of minerals and other Imperlshab articles shown at the World's fair Is utl Intact and Is stored In Phcnlx. This will I augmented by additions 1-a all lines and wl make a splendid nucleus which will bo show tosether with samples of agricultural at horticultural products. A prominent feature ot the Arizona e : hlblt will be a large collection of onyx fro a largo mine of that precious stone owm by D. Heyman of Phenlx. The stone taki from this mine Is of exceptional exccllcn and Air. Heyman has promised to make special collection ot samples for the sta exhibit. Show of Commercially lTncfnl Flher Charles Richards Dodge , the special age of the Department ot Agriculture ) In chan of fibre Investigations , writes to Preside Wattles that he baa been granted uuthorl by the secretary of agriculture to loan the exposition the thirty-two panels In t : possession of the department which nlu all the commercial fibres of the world. The panels are contained In glass eases and w be shipped In their cnsea with the otb material contained in the exhibit made I the Agriculture department in tbo Cover ment building. Theea panels will bo displayed In tbo A rlculturo building In connection with t extensive exhibit of commercial fibre a fibre machinery which has been arranged f < This display will bo under the charge Mr. Dodge and will form a most Instruct ! exhibit ot the cultivation and uses ol vai ous fibres. Firemen' * Hoard tn Meet. A meeting of the Doard of Managers of t National Firemen's association has be called to meet In Omaha , April 9 and 10 , discuss with the exposition authorities t details of the proposed national tournnme to be held In Omaha , during the \imm President Fred A. Wood ot Cedar Rapids t ksued the call. PAST TIIAIXS WIMi STAV PAST. Fnro Declnlon Will .Not ncmlt In Their Itentovnl. The new fast trains of the Union Pacific- Northwestern and Of the Burlington roads will not bo tajten off on account of the high excess faro ( bat will to required ot all through passengers on 'and after Friday ot thU week , April 1. Such A statement Is au thorized by the highest officials ot the Union Pacific and ot the Burlington railroads. The roads that have been designated by B. D. Cald'vell , arbiter , to charge excess faro on their now trains have already Issued the necessary Instructions to their agents. General Passenger Ageut Lomax of the Union Pacific Mid to The Bee : "Wo have Issued the circulars notifying our men about the excess fares that \\lll bo charged on and after April 1. Wo nro going to give the thing a fair trial. Wo arc quite willing to do this , but what the flnnl outcome will bo I do not know. But our new trains will not bo taken off. They are on to stay. " General Passenger Agent Francis of the B. & M. said : "Tho circulars notifying our men to charge the excess fore have already been Issued , so there Is but ono thing to do and that ts to wait and note the result ot the charges. But there Is ono thing you may depend on , wo shall not take off the trains. They are on , aud they are on to stay. " i The decision of Arbiter Caldwcll Is al ready being shown up tn local railway cir cles as farcical. To rldo In a first-class Bleeping car from Chicago a man Is supposed to pay an additional charge of $4 , or If In the tourist sleeping car or a coach excess faro to the amount of $1. But thcro Is nothing to prevent him buying a ticket from Chicago to Omaha , and , no the train etops hero for ten minutes , getting a ticket hero through to Denver. The sum of the fares rom Chicago to Omaha and from Omaha to cnver Is not greater than the through fiuc , nd as ho is not a through passenger when o starts on his Journey ho la not compelled 0 pay any extess fare. Another way of citing around the ridiculous ruling ts to uy a ticket from Denver to a suburb of hlcago , and tuko a local train Into the tty station , or to do the came going1-Into cnver.There are so many ways of break- ng through the arbiter's decision that It Is ow conceded that It will bo very Ineffectual 1 helping the weak lines at the expense of 10 strong ones , as was plainly the object view. ETTMXG KAIIE TO EXPOSITION' . n 'iiK < T Men' ' "Will Hold an Im portant ConmiUiitloii'ln Oiunlin. There will ho an Important meeting of gen- ral passenger agents In Omaha this morning at 11 o'clock. The object of the meeting Is to consider the report of the ocal passenger committee appointed to 'ccommend ' reduced rates for the Transmls- Isslppl Exposition. The meeting will bo held at the Mlllard iOtel. Those In attendance will Include the ocal pafsenger representatives of all the nca entering Omaha , nnd the general pas- icnger agents , the traffic managers and some f the general managers ofthe lines hero. The meeting will receive the report of th pedal committee , consisting ot the general isscngcr agents ot the Union Pacific , ol ho D. & M. and of tho.Elkhorn roads. This eport will recommend a low line of rates o and from all western railroads from unc to November 1 on account of the exposition , t Is generally believed that the general meeting will adopt the report of the special ommlttee. If it does the TransrnlsslEdipp Exposition Is promised the lowest rates giver : o any exposition In this country. Wort' has been received that the loading rallroai men of Chicago are taking qulto an Intcrca , n the question of low rates to the expost1 Icti , and a number of them will attend th < meeting In this city. nnrllmrton'M Ticket Seller. Edward A. Elmlgcr has been appointed Icket seller for the Durllngton railroad sta < Ion at Tenth and Mason streets. Ho will b < assistant to Chief Ticket Agent Fonda , am after April 1 will be * on duty In the prcscnl 'ramo shed until the completion of the Bur Ing-ton's new elation , when he will bi ransferred there with the rest of the staff For the last half dozen years he has beet imploycd at the local headquarters of thi D. & M. In the office of General Manage ] loldrego. He Is young , energetic and popa ar , and should make a success at his ncv calling. His successor at the headquarter ! has not been appointed. GcorRe Ilnynci * on HIM Trip. Gcorgo 'B. Haynes , city passenger agon of the Milwaukee road , sailed from Astoria Oro. , for Liverpool , Eng. , on Monday morn ng at 7 o'clock , and by this tlmo Is falrlj started on his trip around the world. J etter Just received from him by his co workers at the Milwaukee office announce * this fact. Ho has sailed on 'the Puritan , i steamship recently built In England am .ut't completing Its first trip to Liverpool Mr. Haynes will return to Omaha after i short trip -through England and Franc about July 4. Xo Settlement of Ilnt Troulilc. NEW YORK , March 28. Railroad men I ; this city eald today that they had receive no word from London that a settlement o the northwestern rote war had been effected Officials ot the Trunk Line association sal that they had no advices concerning the mat tcr. There la to bo a meeting of the pas senger agents ot the lines Interested in Bui falo tomorrow. THEIR 3IAXIA IS FOIl POUGEITl Wllllnm Glbhonit nnd H. G. Chattel Who Write OtherN * XnmoM. Separata Informations alleging forger have been filed In police court against Wl ! Ham Gibbons and H. G. Chaffce , both c whom are said to bo Insane. They nro prl : oners at the city Jail. Until a short tlm ago Gibbons was messenger of the Paclfl Express company on the Union Pacific lln between Cheyenne and Ogden. His niln began to fall , however , and this necessitate his discharge by the compiny. Ho he leen pronounced Insane by allen'eLs who ha\ examined him , and when < bcso facts are di veloped It Is understood that ho will bo ser to an asylum. On March .6 Gibbons Is alleged to ha\ forged the name of Owen McCaffrey to tw checks on the National Dank ot Common for $5.75 each , and to have obtained therco money. Chaffeo Is alleged to have passed a wortl less check for a small amount en the ' .Tat ager of a local hotel , the signature to whlc was a forgery. Ho Is ald to bo a mom maniac for thla business , and repeatedly 1 has been confined to various retreats for tl Insane after raising money In small sums c forged checks. Hob n TrnvoIliiB Man , A state warrant -was fllsd In police cou against Annie Nelson , colored , tn which si Is charged with ilnrceny from the pcrso The complainingwltne la James Thoma a traveling salesman , who alleges that whl ho wns In the company of the woman la Saturday night lau house on Dotlg * Htrec between Eighth and Ninth streetu , si robbed him of $70 In money nnd il ! aj > prm- The Nelson woman 1 under arrest , ns also Will NeUon. Thomas hai gone to Eldo la. , but before leaving the city ho promts' ' to return to Omaha during the latter na of the week to prosecute { ho case , wnli has been continued until then. , hllcnt Connion dull. The Silent Cosmos club met Friday evenln Miss Estella Forbes favored the club wl Shakespeare's "Pericles , Prlnco of Tyre which was very Interesting. President Con travo qulto a re ums of the toplci ot tl times , dwelling chiefly on the disaster to tl Malno nnd Cuban affaire. The club h dropped Shakespeare for n while. The ne meeting takes place April 8 at 4GQO Houleva avenue. Gold Import ! . NEW YORK , March 28. Holdlebac Ickelhelmer & Co. have $225,000 la gojd gaged ton Import. , ORDERS FOR NEW BOX CARS Western Eoads Adding to Their Boiling Stock Equipment , PRESIDENT BURT LEADS THE LIST Union Pnclflo to Sprtid Half n .Mllllo * Dollar * In Sccurlnir l-"ncllHlv i for llnniltlnK lt ( jrinv- . , - / tug lluilncu. Additional evidence of the return of proa * perity to western railroads Is furnished la the list of bids that are being asked by the leading western lines for additional rolling stock , especially freight cam. I'resl- dent 13urt of the Union Pacific not long slnco awarded contracts to two car build ing firms for the Immediate construction ot 1,150 stock , box and furniture cars. Ho recently asked for bide from the loading cur building companies of the country for 1,000 moro freight cars. It Is announced that tbo contracts will bo awarded by Presi dent Durt this week. The cars that are already ordered by the Union Pacific are to bo delivered In this city during t'ho coming summer. Tbo 1,000 earn for which bids have Juut been asked are also to bo built at once , and are to bo turned over by the firms building them to the Union Pacific hero during the lute sum mer and early fall. They are wanted in tlmo for use In the fall movement of grain and live stock. When the contracts are given out for the building of 1,000 tnoro cars , President Durt will ask for further contracts for the building of both freight nnd passenger care. The Union PucIQo has been hampered for some tlmo by iho lack of adequate and suitable equipment for Its freight and passenger traffic. It Is the Intention of President Hurt to remedy this lack during 'tho ' present ycnr. Before ho gets through with his car contracts It U estimated that ho will have spent $ oOOOQO In purchasing new equipment. None of the now cars will bo built In Omaha or at other shops of the company. It is stated by officers of the Union Paclo that new car * can bo built much moro cheaply by car * building companies than by railroad com panies. General Manager Truesdalo of the Hock Island railroad has Just given out a con tract for -tho building ot eighty-five new stock cara for1 the UBO of his line. Thcso earn will bo constructed by the employes ot the Uock Island road , and will bo built at the shops of the company nt Horton , Kan. , and at Chicago. The new stock curs nto to ba of the same pattern as tlioso recently turned out at the Hock Island shops. The same line will order additional freight cars to bo built at Its o\vju shops an coon as the latest orxlcr Is filled. The Omabi road Is also greatly addingto Its freight equipment. At the shops ot : io Omaha road at Hmleon , WIs. , the shop men are turning out an average of flvo cw box cars per day. This rate of bulld- ng new cam will , It Ls stated , bo kept Up hroughout 'tho srrtng am ] summer , so that y fall the Omaha line will have a supply , t now box cars adequate tn the demand. XO OK nnT I'o Traveling Freight Agent Hartsough of the Loulsvlllo & Nafihvlllo railroad Is In the ity. ity.Horace _ Horace G. Durt , president of the link * 'aclflc railroad , has returned from New fork. General Manager Dickinson of the Union 'aclflc ' rpeiit a few days of last week In Chicago. The Dutte , Moot. , Car Scrvlco association as been organized with K. E. Calvin as halrman. Robert McMalns , a locomotive engineer on ho Iowa Central , has been appointed travel * ng engineer of that road. General Solicitor Mandcrson of the D. Si M. . and his private secretary , Charles Mar- ey , have returned from St. Paul. D. J. Palmer has been a ; > p'jlnte < 1 a member if the Iowa rallrcad cominisslon to fill the acancy caused by the death of C. L. Davld- on. on.D. D. II. Drandow has been appJlnto-1 master mechanic ot the Lcavcnworth , Kansas & Vestern , with headquarters nt Leavcuworth , Can. Can.Tho The Independent Order of Railway Men ban ) eon organized and Is an outgrowth of tbo Id Switchmen's Mutual Aid Association. The icadquartcre of the order are St. Louta , Mo. , nd James S. Hardlci of that city Is president. H. C. Archer has been appointed comraer- -lal agent of the freight and paescnigcr do- mrtmcnta of the Kansas City , Plttsburg & Gulf and the other roads belonging to that ystcm , with headquartera at Galvecton , Tex. George J. Lincoln has been appointed com mercial agent of the Milwaukee , with head quarters at 400 Chestnut street , Philadelphia , llr. Lincoln recently retired from the sery- co of the 'Baltimore ' & Ohio , and for many years was connected with the Heading. General Passenger Agent Heafford of the Milwaukee road Is keeping up with tha spirit of the times by the Issuance for free distribution card pictures of the destroyed ; battleship Malno and booklets containing the national songs. M. K. Fleming has been appointed general Mggago agent ot the Kansas City , Plttsburg Gulf , with headquarters at Kansas City. \lo. \ Ho has hcretoforo been acting general xiggago agent and was formerly general 'retght ' and passenger agent ot the Kansaa Ity , Wyandotlo & Northwestern. The ten-wheel locomotive which the Bald win Locomotive works are building for the Ivansoii City , Plttsburg & Gulf Is Intended to [ jo used for exhibition purposes at the Trans * mlr slsrtlppl Exposition. This cnglno Is to be a duplicate In all respects ot the fifteen ten- wheel freight locomotives recently built by the Daldwlh Locomotive works for the same read. read.Tho The now Northwestern brldgo across the klleslmlppl has been completed In record time. With the trestle work , the bridge Is nearly a mile long. Work was begun December 24 and the old structure was removed and the new ono put In place without Interrupting traffic. Ifie four old pana were torn down and tbo flvo new once put In place In flvo days. days.Tho The rallrcad weather reporto show that the fall ct snow on Sunday was heaviest In the eastern tort of Nebraska. Some enow fell along the lines ot the Union Pacific , ot Iho Durllngton and of the Klkhorn in Ne braska but In the western part of the state It was quite light. The heaviest fall ot tha snow was rapidly melted on Monday mornIng - Ing , and on none of the roads was t radio delayed to any extent. It Is stated that financial arrangements have been made to complete the Wyoming fif Dakota road , which was partially graded < tv- eral yeara ago from Dcllefourhce , S. D. , to liarrett , Wyo. , eighteen and one-half in IM , end that work will be resumed In April. The Crouch Construction company of Chlaaja will do the work. The officers are : Ueorga M. Nix , president , Dubuque , la. ; ll. S. Vin cent , civil engineer , Dcadwood , S. D. Secretary Taylor , ot the Kansas City , Plttsburg & Guf , says of the report that hU road Is to build from Qulncy , III. , to Deards- town. III. , to connect with the Dalttmore & Ohio , that If such a connecting line Is estab lished. It will not bo built by the Kansaa City , PlttsburK & Gulf. However , this Una may be built by the Omaha , Kansas City It Eastern railroad. Tbo Kansas City , Pltts- hurc & Gulf has no Interest In tbo Omaha , Kansas City & Eastern , but Mr. StlllweU Is president of both roads and other Kansas CltPlttsburK & Gulf people have an Inter est In the Omaha , Kansas City & Eastern. Mr. Taylor eays It Is the police of the Kan sas City. PHtflburg & Gulf not to build cant of the Mississippi , as It Is not desired to g there and compete with roads In eastcrv territory , but rather to ocerato In harmony : wlU them.